Vermouth for use in Drinks - can I freeze it?

Question

I have a well stocked bar at home so from time to time I mix some drinks. Many popular drinks list Vermouth (e.g. Noilly Prat) as an ingredient. Basically, Vermouth can be compared to a special kind of wine as it also produced from wine. This is where the trouble starts: As soon as you open a bottle Vermouth for the first time, you have to store it in a fridge and after 2-3 weeks have to throw the bottle away because you can't use it anymore. So to really empty the bottle, you have to drink a lot.

This is a common problem for many people and there are many ideas for solutions (spraying some protective gas into the bottle, filling many smaller bottles, sucking the air out of the bottle, writing to companies and asking for miniature bottles...) but none of them really works. Now I just had another idea: Can I just fill an ice cube form with Vermouth and put it in the freezer and then just take out the amount I need? Or will it loose it's flavor due to the freezing process?

Asked by Sven

Answer

Water freezes at 0° C (or 32° F), but ethanol freezes at -114° C, so you can guess your vermouth with freeze somewhere in between those two temperatures.

Noilly Prat is 18% ABV, or 15% alcohol by weight, which means it would freeze at around -6° C to -7° C, or 19-21° F. Your freezer may or may not be tuned to be that cold, but if not, you should be able to crank it a bit and get your Noilly Prat just frozen.

That said, I would not really recommend leaving an ice cube tray full of vermouth hanging out in your freezer. You may notice that old ice tastes funny. Even though you may not notice your freezer smelling, that's partly because the cold blocks smells. Just because you don't notice them doesn't mean the odors aren't there to ruin your Noilly Prat. I would recommend leaving them for a day until just frozen (covered if you like), and then moving them to a ziplock for long term storage.

Answered by Ray

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How to create homemade special coffees [closed]

Question

I got bored with my regular coffe "Nestcafe Classic" or "Nestcafe 3 in 1". Are there tutorials how to create some awesome coffee? I don't mind if it's a latte, cappuccino or espresso, as long as it tastes good. I know it's kinda vague. All I really want is something different and I could do it on my kitchen, fast, easy, cheap and that doesn't require me to have those advanced coffee makers.

Also if I could perfect the process, I would like to serve and impress my guests. But for now I'm the only one who's gonna be trying it.

Asked by Pennf0lio

Answer

Tools

I have the following:

Aeropress: Roughly $40 CAD, Quick and easy clean up, Makes a good single serving of expresso.

Moka Pot: They vary in size and cost, but can be found for about $30, makes a good strong cup of coffee.

French Press: Easy to find, about $50 for a decent one, Glass is common, Stainless steel is better, makes also a decent cup of coffee.

Percolator: I have a stovetop one that I bought for camping. Big in size and it's cheap. It makes coffee.

Vietnamese drip thiny: It makes a single serving of very strong coffee. I used this because it was really, really cheap and made a good strong coffee. I stopped using it as the aeropress is better.

I don't have one, but I've enjoyed what is becomming popular these days which is a pourover. There is also a few others (Siphon, True expresso machines), but I don't have much experience with them and some of them are a lot more expensive. They're relatively cheap as well.

If you're mainly making coffee for yourself, I'd look into an aeropress or the pourover. They probably make the best coffee and are both affordable. The aeropress is my daily coffee, because well it's awesome. I often serve the french press as it's bigger or the percolator if I have lots of guests that don't care for "good" coffee.

Coffee

First thing, find a source of good coffee. You're looking for somewhere that roasts their own coffee and sells it relatively promptly. There are a few online sources as well. (No I wouldn't start at Starbucks or the like...). I don't want to link to places I haven't shopped at, so you'll have to search yourself. Unless you're in Alberta, Canada...

If you really get ambitious you can source green beens online and roast them yourself!

Grind

If you can find a burr grinder (not a blade grinder) that would be ideal. You want to grind as close to making the coffee as possible. Coffee starts to "lose" flavour as soon as it is roasted, and even quicker after it's ground. A burr grinder will give you a consistent grind, which means consistent flavour. Coarse grind for french press, fine grind for the aeropress/expresso, medium grind for most of the others.

Technique

Now... for the preparation, that varies by whatever machine you use... Check the instructions or google around.

Resources

http://www.ineedcoffee.com/: Lots of good information about different brew methods, coffee in general.

http://coffeegeek.com: Really great site with a lot of coffee specific information. At the top there is a Guides & How-To section. If you click that they will have much better laid out guides as to specific preparations.

Answered by talon8

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What is a proper Manhattan?

Question

I've ordered these a few times, and had wildly varying results - hardly surprising, given the general lack of training among bartenders around these parts, but confusing none the less!

So now I'm curious: what should a Manhattan be composed of?

Asked by Shog9

Answer

A traditional Manhattan is two shots of rye or bourbon, one shot of sweet vermouth, a dash of bitters and a cherry, shaken and strained into a martini glass. I prefer on the rocks in a rocks glass, myself.

A perfect Manhattan is similar, but uses a half shot each of sweet and dry vermouth. They tend to be more interesting when paired with a higher quality whiskey.

I'm also a big fan of white whiskey (aka, high quality moonshine) in Manhattans.

Answered by Harlan

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Pre-mixing liquor — any downsides?

Question

I love Long Islands. In fact, all I make are Long Islands. Yet every time I make one, I have to independently mix the four liquors I use: Vodka, Tequila, Gin, and Rum. (plus I add lemon juice and splenda)

It seems to me it would be easier for me if I could pour all four bottles into one container and just pour my drinks out of that. (and store this container in the fridge indefinitely until ready for use) That way I don't have to worry about proportion (since I always mix them equally anyway). Is there any downside to doing this (aside from the obvious downside that I can no longer pour any other mixture)?

Asked by Kirk Woll

Answer

There should not be any problems with mixing alcohol as long as you don't introduce organics. I would suggest mixing the alcohols and leaving the lemon juice and splenda out until you pour a drink. Keeping alcohol cool and in a dark place. As for indefinitely, no. The amount of time it stays good is dependent on the amount of air in the bottle. Glass is always preferred if possible.

Answered by murisonc

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What's the best method for making iced coffee?

Question

How should we make iced coffee at home? We only have a French press.

Asked by Rebekah

Answer

French presses work pretty well for cold brewed coffee. Just put the coffee and the water in and let it "brew" for a long period of time, then press it down to remove the grounds. Recipe for cold brewed coffee from the New York Times.

Answered by Chris

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What happens when you mix whiskey and water?

Question

It is sometimes said that to best experience the flavor and aroma of a good whiskey (or whisky), one ought to add a bit of water. This practice is said to release flavors somehow.

1. Is there any truth to this?
2. Assuming that there is, what is going on?

Asked by Ray

Answer

Whisk(e)y has some crazy chemistry going on inside of it, due to the complex interactions between water, alcohols, oils, esters and other compounds of various complexity. The profile of these chemicals will vary between different whiskey/whisky styles, but the overall chemistry is similar.

Simple effects of dilution

Adding water, or serving on the rocks, has a number of simple effects, such as diluting the ethanol a bit (ethanol anesthetizes your taste buds a bit), and cooling it (making your taste buds slightly less sensitive to certain flavors), but the fascinating part is what happens to the oily flavor compounds during dilution.

Dilution masks some flavor compounds

Oily hydrocarbons are somewhat soluble in high-proof whiskey. There are long-chain esters and short-chain esters of many varieties. As you add water, the whiskey becomes more polar, and the long-chain esters become supersaturated and start to precipitate in the form of micelles, microscopic "droplets" of esters that have clumped together. In some liquors like absinthe or ouzo, these droplets can get so large that they become visible, and visibly cloud the drink (an intended feature of absinthe preparation). In whiskey, these droplets are usually microscopic and don't visibly cloud the drink, because most of the oils have been removed during chill-filtration.

However, these droplets do something important, in that short-chain esters, being more soluble in the droplet than they are in the diluted whiskey, enter the droplet and become trapped inside. These compounds are now less available for tasting or smelling. Fortunately, these compounds are the oily, grassy compounds that many people do not like in their whiskey, and masking them is considered an improvement.

Dilution releases other flavor compounds

There is another type of micelle "droplet" that forms in whiskey. Ethanol, in high concentrations in water, forms it's own clusters, as ethanol molecules gather up with one another. Interestingly, warmer solutions cause more clustering of ethanol molecules, as do higher concentrations. Like before, these micelles trap compounds that are more soluble in ethanol than they are in water, volatile flavor compounds. However, unlike the oil droplets, these flavor compounds are desirable. Cooling the solution and diluting the solution both serve to "pop" these ethanol micelles, allowing them to release their trapped compounds for aroma and flavor.

So cooling and adding water can have the effect of both masking certain flavors by forcing them out of solution, and enhancing others by promoting their release back into solution. In the end, the result of the changed flavors is a matter of taste, which is why some people prefer neat, with water, or on the rocks, but one cannot deny that real chemical changes are in play.

References

• Scientific Paper: Release of distillate flavour compounds in Scotch malt whisky
• Blog posts: New perspectives on whisky and water
• Article: Tasting Whisky
• Wikipedia: Scotch Whisky

Answered by Sam Ley

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I have difficulty finding “ANGOSTURA” bitters, is there any substitute?

Question

My preferred pre-dinner drink is the Manathan, but I have difficulties finding ANGOSTURA bitters.

Is there anything else that I could use instead of it?

Asked by DavRob60

Answer

You could try Peychaud's Bitters (difficult to find), Fernet-Branca, orange bitters or other types of bitters. Worcestershire sauce may also be used as a substitute but works well in savory dishes. I wouldn't recommend it for a Manhattan.

Or, if you're very ambitious you can try to make your own bitters, although the ingredient list is somewhat intimidating! Good luck!

http://spiritsandcocktails.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/how-to-make-bitters/

Answered by Vecta

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What common household drink will remove burning from mouth?

Question

Ya, just ate something spicy and my mouth is on fire. I tried drinking water and that didn't help. I also tried orange juice, and that didn't help.

Any ideas?

Answer

You need something with fat or alcohol. The burning is caused by capsaicin, a molecule found in peppers, which is not water-soluble. If you go for the alcohol, you'll need something with higher percentage, not a beer, and it might result in more burning. It is easier to drink whole milk, especially because you might need lots of the drink if it is too strong.

You option beside a drink is eating bread. You want a soft, fluffy bread like a baguette. If you chew it for a longer time, it will absorb some of the capsaicin covering the inside of your mouth, like a sponge cleaning a pot. For best results, you can combine: bread first, milk afterwards.

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What is the proper way to make a cup of mate?

Question

I've seen different videos on how to make a perfect cup of mate. After putting loose tea in the gourd, some people cover the gourd and shake it upside down, some people shake it on its side, some people don't shake it at all. This is all in an effort to move the smaller bits (after you've right the gourd back up) to the top, so that when you insert the bombilla (metal straw with tiny holes at the bottom), the smaller bits won't be sucked up.

What is the proper way?

Answer

The proper way:

1) Put the bombila into the gourd.

2) Put the mate in the gourd.

3) Invert, shake vigorously, revert.

4) Add a small amount of cold water (this isn't necessary--as I understand, this step helps to keep from burning the mate, which can also be accomplished by using water under 180*F), wait for a few minutes, until the mate absorbs the water.

5) Add hot water, drink.

6) Repeat step 5.

Don't move the bombila while drinking, as this will cause you to stir up little bits. Inverting and shaking isn't necessary if the mate is of high quality (low dust). You can make mate to low dust by putting it in a metal sieve and shaking. Save the dust and small leaves that fall out--they can be used to brew mate in a coffee pot.

It is also worth noting that you can brew mate in a coffee pot or a french press and achieve similar results, although the resulting beverage isn't quite the same as drinking from the bombila.

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Apple Pie in a Jar Drink

Question

I was recently out of town for a business trip and heard some people talking about some type of drink that they had at a party called Apple Pie in a Jar. I was curious if anyone else has heard of this and would know how to make it? It sounds interesting especially since I like Apple Pie.

Answer

Sounds like you're talking about this recipe.

Looks like some apple juice, cider, cinnamon,sugar, and some grain alcohol.

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Making your own drink powders?

Question

I love the flavor of crystal light, but it is expensive, and I don't like the artificial sweeteners. I don't think I would mind the drink without the sweeteners, and would like to try to make my own.

I've googled and googled, but I cannot find any talk about what is actually in crystal light or any of the other drink mixes, or how to make your own.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Answer

From Asian supply shops you can often find small packets of powdered fruits. Check the packet but many are made from actual fruit!

I have seen Apple, Cherry, Coconut, Lime, Mango, Pomegranate, Strawberry etc.

Google for powdered fruit and you'll find a variety of online sources

My favourite is Lime powder (99% Lime, made in Malaysia)

Add Aloe Vera powder to make a thickened drink

Add Arrowroot or instant custard powder to make a cloudy "juice"

Add Ascorbic acid powder (Vit. C) as a preservative (be careful not to exceed RDI)

Add Citric acid to make it more citrus like

Add sugar (real or fake) to bulk it out so a simple measure (e.g. one tea spoon) makes a glass of drink

Experiment with the quantities, but you don't need much of anything to get an effective result

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How should I prepare kola nuts for creating a soft drink?

Question

I have recently gotten into making my own soft drinks, and I would like to attempt making a cola. I found an online spice retailer that sells Kola Nut and bought some, but I have no real idea how to prepare them for use. I also don't know how much I should use for a liter or two of soda, but I can figure that out via experimentation if I have to.

But what should I do with the kola nuts? Do they need to be ground before I boil them in a simple syrup, or should the pieces just be dropped in as-is? How much time does it take to extract the flavor from them?

Edit: I have made my own ginger ale using fresh ginger and my own berry soda using a bag of frozen berries, and I am a homebrewer and have a kegging system and a carbonator cap for soda bottles. I really just want to know if there are special considerations for how to treat kola nuts.

Answer

There are several cola recipes on this site. Recipe 2.6 references a kola extract recipe from the following book: Food Flavourings, by Joseph Merory, AVI Publishing Company, 1960.

I'd assume that the kola nuts are added as in pieces, similar to how they are consumed - Kola nuts are consumed by breaking them open and into pieces.

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Homemade Kahlua - something missing

Question

Basic recipe for homemade Kahlua on the Intertubes is lots of sugar, some coffee, high alcohol content something or other, and vanilla. Some minor variations on this theme is all I've found.

But real Kahlua is heavier than Irish Cream. The layered shot, "Duck Fart," is made of, from bottom to top, Kahlua, Irish Cream, and Whiskey. When I try to make this with homemade Kahlua though the cream sinks.

The amount of sugar in this stuff is huge, it's basically syrup. I doubt it needs more. I use brown sugar. What could be missing from the recipe that makes it heavier than cream?

Answer

Adding more sugar to a small amount did fix the issue. I think that boiling down the coffee/sugar mix would go a long way toward increasing the SG without making it sickeningly sweet. Next time I make a batch it's what I'll do.

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